Essay name: Theravada Buddhist studies in Japan
Author:
Keiko Soda
Affiliation: University of Calcutta / Department of Pali
This essay studies the acceptance of Buddhism in Japanese culture and nature, in light of the concept of 鈥淚mpermanence鈥�. The history of Japanese Buddhism traces its origins from its introduction through Korea, evolving significantly over various periods.
Chapter 3 - Theravada and Mahayana (comparison and contrast)
22 (of 34)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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As it was partly translated by Gu峁嘺bhadra, it seems
that it was composed by the end of the 4th century.
Other Sutras are Yog膩c膩ra-bhumi (Yii-ch'ieh-shih-ti-lun)
and Mah膩y膩na-s奴tr膩la峁僰膩ra (Ta-ch'ing-chung-yen-ching-
lun). Generally, the sutras of this period are based
on logic and the theory is difficult to understand.
The theory to equate Tath膩gata-garbha with the store-
consciousness (膩laya-vij帽膩na) or consciousness only
(vij帽apti-m膩trata) is found in the La峁僰膩vat膩ra-s奴tra.
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A sixty-fascicle Mah膩y膩na sutra collection (Ta-
chi-ching) influenced by the thought of Buddha-nature
inherent in all sentient beings (tath膩gata-garbha) was
also composed in the later time. But the number of the
production of the Mah膩y膩na sutras gradually decreased
in this period. In stead of them, the sutras of the
secret teaching (Tantra-y膩na) were produced. Mah膩-
vairocana s奴tra (Ta-jih-ching) was produced in 650 and
its theory was considered to be established by Vajra-
Sekhara Sutra (Chin-kang-ting-ching).
III.4. THE THOUGHT OF EMPTINESS (SUNYA, SUNYATA) IN MAH膧Y膧NA
It was Nagarjuna (150-250 A.D.) who laid the
foundation of the thought of emptiness (S眉nya, 艢奴nyat膩)
philosophically. He came from Southern India and was
well-versed in Buddhism and other religious studies.
